Algeria received first four Su-34ME aircraft painted in oceanic camouflage. These aircraft transfer occurred back in early 2026 from Novosibirsk aviation plant to Languet airbase, and already in March same year received Su-34MEs were engaged in Algerian Air Force exercises, for which Su-24MK bombers were also used.
Corresponding images already appeared in open access, published specifically by AviVector resource. As resource authors state, currently certain quantity of Su-34MEs for Algeria in desert camouflage are undergoing test flights at Akhtubinsk and Ramenskoye airfields.
Read more: russia Aims to Produce 72 Mi-8 Helicopters in Two Years: Can Industry Meet This Target, What Is Its Current Output?
Defense Express further wants to emphasize that according to current data, Algeria ordered russia delivery of 14 Su-34ME aircraft under contract concluded back in 2019, although initial figure was generally 40 aircraft of this type. Thus Algeria became first Su-34 export user.
If proceeding from fact that during 2022-2024 russian defense industry demonstrated average Su-34 production rates of up to 10 aircraft annually, against this background quite natural question arises, does russia really have so many spare aircraft of this type that deliveries to Algeria have already begun. Even if first of these bombers were received over 6 years after contract conclusion.
Worth separately noting that for Algeria, russian defense industry manufactures Su-34 with certain differences from aircraft supplied to russian Aerospace Forces. For example, Algerian Su-34MEs have landing light on nose gear like Su-57, and radar warning sensors below and above cockpit like Su-35 fighters.
What aviation weapons nomenclature russia supplied to Algeria for Su-34MEs currently remains unknown. Therefore open question remains regarding specifically what tasks Algerian military will be able to use such aircraft for, whether as unguided bomb carriers, guided bomb carriers, or generally as platform for launching Kh-59 guided aviation missiles or other types.
At first glance, logical would appear russia’s priority to focus exclusively on fulfilling internal orders for russian Aerospace Forces at least to compensate previously sustained losses. For example, based on 2025 results alone, russians lost minimum five Su-34 aircraft damaged and destroyed from Ukraine Defense Forces strikes, with one more lost in accident.
However, rashists themselves in this story may be guided by completely different motives. Specifically, proceeding from necessity of preserving at least some form of own positions on global weapons market. For example, same Algeria has 85% of all equipment and weapons of Soviet and russian manufacture.
Contract payment terms for Algerian Su-34MEs currently also remain unknown. However, russia likely has interest in fulfilling previously taken obligations to have influx of hard currency necessary for ensuring own defense industry operation.
Previously we also wrote about whether russia really has so many rare Mi-35P Phoenix helicopters that it supplies such helicopters even to Guinea, and also about story of possible russia sale to iran of 327 Kh-31, Kh-38, R-73 and R-77 missiles for Su-35S and Yak-130.
Read more: Only 28.5% of U.S. Air Force F-35As Fully Combat-Ready, Navy's F-35C Hits Rock Bottom at 15.3% While Fix Costs $13.7B Over Five Years
